Network is Not Overwhelmed by iPhone 4S, Sprint Claims

Since the iPhone 4S stormed into the market, Sprint subscribers have complained about slow data speeds when using their new handsets on the carrier's network.

A recent PC Mag report shows speeds ranging between 300kbps and 500kbps on Sprint's 3G network, not only when using iPhone 4S but also on Android smartphones.

The tests were conducted in the middle of the day when the users' activity levels are high.

Sprint released an official statement saying that the company is aware of the complaints but explained that the cause for customers' dissatisfaction was not the network being overwhelmed:

"As always, Sprint is carefully monitoring the performance of the 3G network. We are looking into a small number of reports of slow data speeds when using the iPhone 4S, however there are also reports showing that Sprint’s network is the fastest, such as the Gizmodo report that came out earlier today. Speed tests represent a moment in time and are subject to many variables including weather, time of day, device, and proximity to a tower."

The press release unwisely points to an independent report published by Gizmodo to prove the efficiency of Sprint's network. However, the Gizmodo Great iPhone Speed Test reveals precisely that Sprint has data speeds far lower than rivals Verizon and AT&T.

PCMag backs up this information: "Sprint has the slowest of the major 3G networks, with average national download speeds hovering around 480kbps compared to Verizon's 700kbps and AT&T's 2.4Mbps".

To their credit Sprint is the only major carrier offering unlimited data plans for the iPhone in the US - though at what cost?

You can enroll in our competition to win an iPhone 4S by answering a very simple question before the 21st of October. Terms and conditions as well as the other details are here.